
PS 

3505 







Class. 
Book_ 



Coppglit^'?- 



COnfRIGIfr DEPOSIT. 






American Dramatists Series 



WIND FLOWER 



BY 

MILDRED CRISS McGUCKIN 




BOSTON 

RICHARD G. BADGER 

THE GORHAM PRESS 



Copyright, 1922, by Mildred C. McGuckin 



All Rights Reserved 






Made in the United States of America 



The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A. 



SEP I5 1022. 

©CI.A6817R8 






^ 

^ 



WIND FLOWER 
A FANTASY 



PERSONS 

Anemone, a wind-flower. 

Peter. 

The Silver Witch, of Moonlight. 

Nurse Hannah 

Little Tim 

Little Anemone 

from Toyland. 
NoRMAND, a stranger. 
Fire Dancers, 
moonrays. 
Dancers of Dawn. 



Scene 

A garden surrounded with box hedges and flow- 
ering hawthorne, at the hack of the garden 
there is a break in the hedge which gives 
a glimpse of sand dunes and the sea. Pale 
roses climb either side of the opening; 
flowering shrubs and dwarf pines, silver- 
tipped in the moonlight, cluster around a 
small fountain which splashes lazily in the 
light breeze. A low stone bench stands to 
one side of a curving sand path leading 
through the gate way in the hedge, and 
through the trees, the waving shadows trace 
their lace-work. 

Time 
During the Harvest Moon, 

The curtain rises while Anemone is sleeping in 
the moonlight; the light wind stirs the chiffon 
of her dress; she awakes. 



WIND FLOWER 



Anemone 

The moon is burning now the white Hght of her 

soul, 
And all the little stars have closed their eyes in 

reverence ; 
It is the privilege alone of greater stars to see 
The sacred love-light on the altar of the moon. 
(Rises and looks up into the sky; the moonlight 

falls across her face in waving, shadow 

light,) 
I stand alone and dream of all that might be mine 
And yet is held from me; I would that Life would 

draw the veil 
Of its experience, and let me, knowing, see the 

light; 
I would that someone touch my lips and bid me 

sing, 
For in my heart is only questioning. 
(Peter, playing his violin, wanders slowly out 

from the shadows.) 

7 



8 WIND FLOWER 

Peter 

Oh! Love, 
In loneliness Fve come across the night to lay 

my life 
Down at your feet. I am your slave, and touch 

the dust beneath your feet 
In reverence. {She turns slowly away.) Oh! 

do not turn from me; 
I come not asking you to give, but that my love 
Might touch your life and make it e'en more 

precious unto you ! 
I do not ask even the pressure of your finger tips 
But just the right to hope! 

Anemone 

How can I give to you 

The right to hope? It is your right. Hope is 
a spark, 

The vital spark of life, that bids each man arise 
above 

The clay that binds his feet. But love is spirit- 
born. As yet 

I know it not. 

Peter 
Then I am worthless to your scheme 
Of life — a thing apart from all you hold most 
dear? 



WIND FLOWER 9 

Anemone 

No, Peter, for I hold yon in my heart with tender- 
ness. 

But you're too much my friend, my love must be 
unknown to me. 

Someone from far off lands that I may dream 
about. 

Someone who masters every whim within my 
mind. 

Drawing my will to his, his touch must be a seal 
to scar 

Me with its strange insignia. No, Peter, you are 
dear 

To me as friend, but you can never be my love. 

Peter 

Anemone, great love holds all of friendship, and 
Deep friendship is, indeed, a part of love. Love 

longs to give 
Itself in sacrifice, and knows no pleasure for 

itself 
Alone. Sensation plays a part in love, 'tis true. 
But if love runneth deep, sensation is forgot 
Within a host of deeper thoughts. — FU go now, 

dearest love. 
Go, praying that you find the height of love. All 

fire-dreams, dear, 



lo WIND FLOWER 

Are vain desire that leaves the heart lost in the 

dust 
Of arid disillusion. Oh ! Anemone, 
Passion is not loves all. 
(Anemone has turned from him, and Peter 

taking his violin, moves away softly and 

singing as he goes.) 

(Song.) 

The love I hold for you 
Is like the mountain dev/ ; 
The love a mother feels 
Across my senses steals, 
And when I see your eyes 
I long for sacrifice 
Anemone ! — Anemone ! 

I hold you in my heart 
As fragile, quite apart 
From life's intense desire. 
And your deep eyes inspire 
My loves deepest controle — 
And service of my soul — 
Anemone ! — Anemone ! 

(Exit Peter; his voice dies away in the distance 
and Anemone, left alone, cries out in the 
stillness — ) 



WIND FLOWER ii 

Anemone 

This love Peter has oflfered me 

Seems pale and colorless beside the love that I 
have dreamed, 

Like sunlight days compared with those of fog. 
His love 

Seems like a love grown old, and holds a thread 
of pain — 

A note of sacrifice. There is no rapture in his 
youth, 

Nor is there laughter such as filled even my 
childhood days — 

(Dreamingly,) 

Our childhood days — What land can hold more 
precious joy 

Than candy-colored land of toys and make- 
believe ? 

Perhaps in childhood lies the better part of life — 
perhaps 

'Tis only at the first white dawning we may know 
the heights 

Of happiness! 

(Soft strains of a waltz drift from behind the 
trees, and down, o'er a brilliant path of the 
mist-white moon, dance six little Moonrays 
who are leading the Silver Witch. Until 
the entrance of the Silver Witch of the 



12 WIND FLOWER 

Moonlight, the moon has not been shining 
directly on the scene, but has fallen in sha- 
dow tracery through the trees. The nioon- 
raySy having ushered in their Silver Witch, 
disappear, dancing off into the shadows, 
leaving her face to face with Anemone in 
the direct path of the moon.) 

The Silver Witch 
Come from the shadows of thy sighs 
Sweet little Wind-Flower of the Wood; come 

close to me 
And put thy faith in dreams. Dream out thy 

life's desire and all 
Thy dreams will live in very form, and color, 

speech, and touch 
For thee; they shall come true and show thee 

what thy heart's 
Desire would bring into thy life. Dream now 

and see 
Thy life as it would be if all thy dreams came 

true. Tell me 
Thy dreams and they will live! 

Anemone 

Who are you, then, 
so white and fair 
With power to bring my dreams to me ? 



WIND FLOWER 13 

The Silver Witch 

Anemone, 
Your soul is unawakened and your dreams are 

soft, 
Like breaths of summer wind that stir a rose, a 

leaf, a fern, 
And listless, blow across the meadow grasses to 

the wood. 
But still a child, thy heart is reaching out for life ; 
Tell me thy questionings and in thy dreams come 

true, 
Thou shalt see truth indeed. 

Anemone 

The present holds no 

charm for me 
The future is so shrouded that I hesitate to build 
My dreams within the far-away. My heart is sad, 
And I am sorry that I've Uved beyond my days 
Of Childhood love— (Reflectively.) So will 

my dreams, then, be of long ago. 
For in that land of make-believe I think love, at 

its best. 
Lived in the iridescent castles of the clouds. 
Back in that shadow Fairyland of innocence, 
ril dream and seek my love. Turn back my life, 

then, Silver Witch, 
My love has lived for me within the past. 



14 WIND FLOWER 

The Silver Witch 

Dream then, 
And be a child within the garden of the long, 
Long, afternoons and find thy bare-foot love and 

see 
If it is he. Dream now and know the truth! 
{The Silver Witch dances softly around the 
garden, the moonlight dies and all is dark- 
ness. The Silver Witch and Anemone 
disappear. Gradually the light of a summer 
morning filters across the garden, falling 07i 
Anemone as a little child, and Tim, her 
hare-foot sweetheart, lying on the grass at 
Nurse Hannah's feet, playing checkers.) 

Nurse Hannah 
{Crooning.) 

"The old, old owl. 
The young, young fowl. 
And the gay young chick-a-dee. 
With the gray-black crow 
And the large dodo 
Went out for a jubilee. 

And the grizzly bear 
Brought a bob-tailed hare 



WIND FLOWER iS 

From some distant yum-yum tree, 
And the kinkajew 
From an Iceland zoo 
Came unto this jubilee. 
Now the white-tummed toad 
From his damp abode — " 

Little Tim 

(Interrupting the song.) 

Anemone ! 
(Throws down his checkers in a rage.) 
YouVe cheated! TU not play! 

Little Anemone 

I haven't, Tim ! 
Come see! 

Tim 

Girls always cheat ! They're awful sports ! Gee 

Whiz! rd hate 
To be a girl ! They're always tagging on to boys, 

and Gee ! 
You'd think they'd find some other thing to do ! 

Anemone 

You came to me. 
And asked me if Td play with you! So there 
now ! See ! 



i6 WIND FLOWER 

You're mad because I beat you, so you say I 
cheat ! 

Little Tim 

{Expressing his contempt with a shrug, then 

turning.) 
Girls always cheat! 

Little Anemone 

I tell you they do nothing of the sort ! 
(Tim sticks his tongue at her; she flies at him and 
pulls his hair; Nurse Hannah separates 
them.) 

Nurse Hannah 

Children ! Children ! Why can't you play together 

without this? 
ril have to send Tim home! 

Tim 

{With emphasis.) 
Oh, no, you won't! Til go! 

Little Anemone 
We promise to be good! 



WIND FLOWER 17 

Tim 

Shucks! What's the use? TU go! 

rd rather go than stay! {He starts to go.) 

Little Anemone 

{Running after him.) 
Come back, Tim, Nurse will read to us. 
{She takes his hand and leads him back; they sit 
dozvn quietly at Nurse Hannah's feet.) 

Nurse Hannah 

{Opening a large book and turning over the pages 

slowly. ) 
What shall we read? Let's see — Here is a story 

of a bird — 

Tim 

{Grumbling an interruption.) 
Stories 'bout birds are just for girls. Find some- 
thing else. 

Nurse Hannah 

Well, here's the story of a crocodile who wept 
Himself a pool of tears to swim in, and then 

couldn't swim 
Because the water was too deep. 



i8 WIND FLOWER 

Little Anemone 

Fm afraid of crocodiles ! 

Tim 

(Getting up disgustedly, jams his hands into his 
pockets and whistles.) 

Gee! What's the use of girls? They're scare- 
crows ev'ry one. 

I hate them all ! 

Nurse Hannah 

(Soothingly.) 
Come on now, children, we will 

find 
Something to please us all. Here is the story of 

a Prince 
Who lived down underneath the sea within a 

castle built 
Of sea-weed silk, and sand and, shells. (Tim 

listens hesitatingly.) Red lobsters there 
Were court attendants, and a side-way-moving 

crab (Tim comes closer, interested; he sits 

down cross-legged by Anemone.) 
His jester. Far away across a jeweled sand dune 

lived 



WIND FLOWER 19 

A Princess in a crystal cave. The entrance to 

the cave 
Was guarded by a dragon with ten tongues of 

fire, 
And eyes that shot out shining knives to kill the 

man 
Or woman who attempted entering the cave. The 

Prince 
Who lived down underneath the sea, had dreamed 

on star-white nights 
Of the fair Princess in her crystal cave, and he 
Had planned to summon all his deep blue water 

up 
To flood the jeweled sand-dunes stretching to the 

cave, quenching 
For ever more the dragon's fire then back through 

wave and foam. 
To lead the Princess of his heart. 
(A long whistle sounds through the trees. Tim 

jumps up excitedly and whistles in return.) 

Tim 

All right! Til come! (To Little Anemone, 

as he runs off.) 
It's Phil — We're going fishing down the Old Mill 

road! 

(Exits.) 



20 WIND FLOWER 

Little Anemone 

(Disappointed, calling after him,) 
What time 'you coming back? {No answer.) 

Oh ! Tim, won't you come back again ? 
(Silence; Little Anemone looks after him, 
waits, then turns and comes back slowly to 
Nurse Hannah; puts her head in Nurse 
Hannah's lap and cries softly. The stage 
grows dark; the scene with Nurse Hannah 
fades. Exeunt Little Anemone and Nurse 
Hannah. As the light grows again — the 
moonlight — Anemone and The Silver 
Witch are standing as they were before the 
dream. ) 

Anemone 

And was that all there was of love, back in those 

childhood days? 
Were Tim and I just play-mates— nothing 

more — ? (Pensively.) Ah! yes, 
Tis beautiful, and yet, in dreaming I have filled 
My Toyland with the grown-up thoughts of love 

that were not there. 

The Silver Witch 
Little Anemone, the beauty of all childhood lies 



WIND FLOWER 21 

In freedom from deep love, deep thought, deep 

anything, 
Just fairy sunshine in the dancing shadows and 
The crowded hours of play. (A pause; the 

Silver Witch looks long and intently into 

Anemone's eyes.) 

Not knowing, thou hast 

pressed thy mouth 
Against the crystal rim of the red cup of life — 

thy youth's 
Completion. Thou hast missed the chalice of 

the love 
That Life has offered you. It may not e'er come 

back, 
But if it does, drink deep. Thy soul's completion 

lies therein. 
The eyes of youth. Anemone, fill easily with 

tears ; 
They mean not sorrow, but romance and won- 
dering. 
Thine eyes veiled now with mist-white dreams 

are looking towards 
The gateway of loves garden, yet thy heart is 

turning back 
Along the sunny road where laughing children 

play their games, 



22 WIND FLOWER 

And build their palaces of soap-boxes and chips. 

Oh ! look not back but at thy shadow's end. 

{In the distance the strains of Peter's violin are 
heard he plays the same theme that he played 
before as he came; Anemone, interested, 
goes to the edge of the box-wood and listens. 
The theme that Peter plays is plaintive, full 
of chords, and simple. Anemone listens 
but turns away disappointedly,) 

Anemone 

Oh, no, 
We're too much brother sister and I know his 

thoughts, his words 
Are like my very own and all his life is known 

to me. 
My love must blind my eyes and lead me out 

beyond 
The shallows of the everydays, beyond the tides 
Within Life's harbor with their ebb and flow of 

common place 
Events ; I would set all my anchored boats afloat 

and drift 
Into the unknown sea — the heights above me, and 
The depths far underneath. 
(The strains of Peter's violin, having grown 

fainter and fainter, now die azvay com- 
pletely,) 



WIND FLOWER 23 

The Silver Witch 

The heights and depths 

of love 
Throb in the commonplace because love maketh 

all things right 
And infinitely beautiful. The eyes of youth look 

ofif 
Beyond the stars to find their answer, while it 

waits 
Within the eyes of one who passes by. 

Anemone 

Out there 
Beyond the harbor's edge, upon the open sea, is 

there 
No noon-tide heat, no mid-night wind as yet 

unknown to me? 
Are there no angry storms to wake my soul that 

I may know 
And value peace? And is there no mirage or 

mist 
That, drifting through their fair illusions, I may 

see 
The clear, deep blue beyond? 

The Silver Witch 

Oh, yes, out there the open 
sea 



24 WIND FLOWER 

Is torn by never-ending change until it sinks 

beneath 
The far sky-Hne of death. 

Anemone 

Then I would know this 

change ! 
Far off along the pathway of the stars across the 

sea 
From out strange depths that throb and pain, my 

love must come, and his 
First words of love must sound as unfamiliar 

speech. 
This is my dream! Is there no mystery in love? 
I would give my life to understand, to brand 
My thin white soul with fire! 

The Silver Witch 

Oh yes, indeed there 

is such love 
Within man's comprehension, but a love like this 
Is but a cheapened love — just fascination's flame 
That kindles torture heat within your veins and 

leaves you torn 
And wounded, bitter and afraid ; this mockery 

would rob 
All finer understanding from your soul ! 



WIND FLOWER 25 

Anemone 

Fve dreamed 
That there is love beyond my understanding, love 
That could be master of my very being — all of 

me — 
And I am not afraid to drink the bitterest of 

drafts 
If once the wine of life moistens my untouched 
lips. 

The Silver Witch 

Oh, if youth, dreaming, could but see the after- 
math 
Of false desire, and eyes all lit by lightnings, but 

detect 
The gray within the many-colored, short-lived 

flames of Life's 
Great fire. Thus I, Witch of the mist-white 

silver night, 
Stand pitying, watching the many hungry lives 
That know not love is warmth and tenderness, 

and never fire 
And pain — but all complete within the everydays 

of life— 
Not hidden somewhere off in unknown lands of 

new 
Imagination. Little lady who would know 



26 WIND FLOWER 

Real love, look down within your unawakened 

heart, love waits. 
Growing in spite of your misunderstanding. 

Look and know 
This great truth before it is too late. 

Anemone 

I know not love, 

And think that it is you who do not understand ; 

My choice is love incomprehensible that cuts my 
heart 

Like lightning 'cross the blackness of a storm- 
clad sky. I would 

Be taken madly, blindly, in its power and give 

My individuality itself unto 

The tide of master feeling surging out to un- 
known seas. 

The Silver Witch 

So be it then, my little lady wnth bUnd eyes ; I am 
The mistress of the waving lantern lights of 

night. 
My power holds deep enchantment. Look ! Thy 

dream comes true! 
{The moonlight fades, and in the lurid darkness, 

lightning cuts the sky; thunder crashes 

through the storm-tossed woods.) 



WIND FLOWER 2j 

Oh ! frail Anemone, thy hving dream hath laid 
thee down 

Within the arms of thy false love. Come, live 
thy mad dream through 

Unto the end. My light has faded, and the storm 

Beats on the darkened sky. My light must go. 

{The White Witch and Anemone disappear 
into the shadows at the edge of the garden. 
Through the blackness there comes the figure 
of a man hearing in his arms the lithe figure 
of Anemone. Holding her closely, he car- 
ries her under the shelter of the trees and 
lays her on the grass. Occasional lightning 
flashes. ) 

NORMAND 

My love ! 
Across an angry world I heard the music of your 

voice 
And knew that all your songs were meant for me 

— Throughout all time 
Tve felt your beauty, and your faint perfume has 

blown 
Forever 'cross my senses. Now I hold you close 
And taste the extasy of love's first draft — 
{They look off at he approaching storm.) 

Clowds draw their veils 



28 WIND FLOWER 

Of black across the sky; earth reels within the 

frenzied wind; 
And night is torn apart by flames, yet all is peace 
Within our souls, for love is master of the world 
And heaven itself ; there is no power to threaten 

or destroy 
The peace of perfect love. 

Anemone 

It is within the vividness 
Of this deep storm, Dearheart, that we have 

found our love? 
So all my life Tve dreamed that it would be like 

this 
Love's voice first sounding in the drumming of 

deep thunder clowds — 
Love's fire descending from a flash of lightning 

through the dark. 

NORMAND 

I cannot count the idle flames within my life; 
I've watched them flicker and burn low but you 

have sent 
The hot flame of your being through my blood, 

and there is fire 
At last within my half-dead soul. 



WIND FLOWER 29 

Anemone 

The fires of life itself 
That burn within me now are yours and I would 

give 
The pressure of my still, cold, lips if you should 

love 
Them more in death than life. 

NORMAND 

Life — death — it matters 

not, love knows 
No time, but is a part of immortality. 
The bondage of the world, its petty ways, and 

laws 
Are far beneath our love. The Infinite has 

written out 
Our meeting here, with lightning strokes of fire 

across the sky. 
And love has sealed the imprint of my lips on 

yours. 
We need no signature of men, no bonds from out 
The crime-stained courts of this cold bitter world 

to make us one. 

Anemone 

Normand, you hold my love, my life, within your 
hand! 



30 WIND FLOWER 

NORMAND 

Our love is full! {He rises.) Come seek our 

destiny, our joy 
Stands trembling at the threshold of the hour, 

waiting 
The laying of your hand in mine. Dearest, what 

need is there to wait? 

Anemone 

I wish there was some sweet little rustic church 
Within the wood where we might lay our lives 

before 
Its secret altar, with some old hermit priest taking 
Our sacred vows to God. 

NORMAND 

What need have we of 

church or priest 
What need of vows, save I to you, and you to me, 

in love? 
There is no higher altar than the altar 
Of love, and it is there I lay you, to kneel 
Beside your beauty as a worshipper of you. Is it 
Then, not enough that we should bow before the 

high altar 
Within our very hearts? What need have we of 

priests, 



WIND FLOWER 31 

And darkened churches, with the dust and mould 

of old 
Worn out traditions, dogmas and creed? 

Anemone 

(Drawing away from him a little; there is still an 

ugly light in the distant sky.) 

Altars are 

sacred unto God 
And this, our love, is sacred unto me. Oif in 

some wood, 
Far from the futile discord of commerce and men 
I would unite my love with yours, where only 

God 
Could hear — A hidden altar — solitary, white, and 

still 
Where you and I could pledge our troth. 

NORMAND 

(Slightly irritated, but hiding his displeasure with 
a smile.) 

Together, and alone, 
We two can pledge our troth ! 

Anemone 
Marriage is loves great seal. 



32 WIND FLOWER 

NORMAND 

Marriage ! A worn out custom, rotten at the core 
From man's mis-use! Symbol of slavery, and 

meaningless ! 
What need to bind by law, lovers whose souls are 

one? We'll stand 
Together, free, as one, because our love is one 
Indeed, unfettered by the chains that gall and 

make 
Men long to be set free. Marriage is worse than 

mockery 
I will have none of it! 

Anemone 
(A little bewildered, repeats.) 

Marriage is mockery; our souls 
Are one — Normand, this cannot be! My love's 

too great 
A part of that great force beyond, not to admit 
Of consecration, God must touch our love, or life 

will miss 
The mark of truth ! 

{She turns to him entreatingly ; he laughs.) 

Normand 

What mark of truth ? Love's 
fullness is the truth! 



WIND FLOWER 33 

The infinite and love are one. There are no 
heights 

Beyond the plain of love. I unto you, and you 

To me — in intimate affection — to the end and love 

Complete, will be sufficient through it all. We 
have no need 

Of empty services, and tottering, decayed. 

Religious platitudes. 

{He goes close to her, and bending over her, he 
kisses her on the lips. His touch weakens 
her resistance; she forgets the lesser appeal 
of the spirit in the emmotional appeal of her 
heart. He takes her in his arms. Neither 
speak for a moment, and then he throws back 
his head and laughs. While they are stand- 
ing there, the reflection of a distant fire stains 
the sky with a lurid red glow. They turn 
to watch the glow.) 

After the storms, then come 

The fires, hiding the ruins of man's mistakes, 
ashes to ash 

Again. 

(As they stand looking off at the sky, dyed red 
from the flames, the wind blows clouds of 
dense, black smoke into their faces; from out 
the smoke come veiled figures, advancing 
solemnly to the beating of muffled drums. 



34 WIND FLOWER 

The figures are those of young women whose 
hairs are singed and whose clothes are 
charred from fire. Their faces are lined 
with the tracing of tears, and one of them 
has an infant crushed to her breast. 
Anemone, not understanding the vision at 
first, is terrified and clings to Normand, but 
as the figures surround him Normand 
shrinks from their advance, and covers his 
face with his hands.) 

The Silver Witch 

(Coming towards Anemone and Normand from 
out the smoke.) 

These ghostly little ladies faced the storms 
of Hfe 

For love of Normand ; for his love they tasted fire 

And giving all themselves, sank to the depths for 
him! 

(The fire dancers whirl round and round, and the 
smoke curls in gusts at their feet; the drums 
beat louder and louder, and the sky turns to 
a deeper shade of crimson. Anemone, 
terrified by the reality of the vision and by 
the words of the Silver Witch, shrinks 
from Normand. One of the figures with 
titian hair, blacked by the soot and smoke. 



WIND FLOWER 35 

advances towards Normand and stretching 
out her arms, shows him her sleeping child.) 

That little titian lady with her baby was the last 

To give her all to him! And he has spent her 
Youth, her life 

Itself and left her wounded by the sword and 
flame 

Of hate that lurk within such souls as his ! 

(Normand, frenzied, strikes down the little titian 
lady and her baby. Then breaking away 
from the circle, he disappears into the dark- 
ness. The drums stop beating. The Silver 
Witch vanishes with the smoke, and the fire 
dancers fall to the ground,) 

Anemone 

{Terror stricken, turns to the fading glow in the 
sky and cries.) 

Dear God 

Save me from this ! 

(She falls prostrate. The red light dies and in 
the darkness the fire dancers vanish. When 
the light comes, it is the light of the moon 
through the clouds; it falls on Anemone and 
the Silver Witch.) 



36 WIND FLOWER 

The Silver Witch 

Anemone, worn by the pain of thy 
Mad dreams, look up ; the moonUght shines ; deep 

peace is o'er the world 
Thy cruel dream was but a vision of the wrong 
Desires of youth! Thy life itself has not been 

touched ! 
Awake ! 

Anemone 

Oh Silver Witch, I am indeed awake, awake 
And trembling for the peril of young lives that 

seek what I, 
In darkness sought — my very life's development- 
And peace to that deep throbbing thing within 

the depths 
Of me that would not e'er be still. Passion my 

senses dulled — 
Passion — that knew no thought of love, made me 

a fool indeed 
Until I lost myself, and reckoned values wrong. 
Feeling too deeply that exquisite rapture born 
Of flesh, and then my spirit died from fever in 

my blood. 
Oh ! Silver Witch, has my mistaken dream made 

it too late 
To take love at its best and make it wholly mine — 



WIND FLOWER 37 

Holding its beauty and its peace a part of all 
My soul? 

(Far off in the distance come the strains of 
Peter's violin.) 

The Silver Witch 

Dear child, thine errors have been just 

in dreaming wrong. 
Dream true, and let not idle fancy swerve thy 

real desire. 
Love stands expectant at thy finger tips ; grasp it 
And make it thine. (The violin strains come 

closer. ) Thy youth is full, and it is not 
Too late! 
(As Peter advances up the pathway to the gate 

in the hedge, he plays the same refrain that 

he played on his first entrance, i. e. ''The 

wind is fragrant with the breath of hawthorn 

flowers white.'') 

Anemone 

Oh yes, Fve found my dream at last! 
I feel the warmth 
Of old, lost joys stealing across my heart ! 



38 WIND FLOWER 

The Silver Witch 

So ril awake 

The moon that slumbers in the shadows moist 
with rain; 

In new washed radiance, thy three fold love will 
come, 

That perfect love where all is understanding, 
willingness 

To give, the beauty in each touch. Take to thy- 
self this love. 

Perfect in its entiety. 

{The Silver Witch summons her moon rays; 
they dance and draw out the full radiance of 
the moon which falls in crystal path across 
the garden. The dancers and the Silver 
Witch disappear into the shadows, at the 
end of the dance. Peter, not seeing 
Anemone, advances down the pathway of 
the moonlight playing his love serenade on 
the violin. He walks slowly, dreaniingly, 
nearer and nearer to Anemone, who is 
watching him from the shadows. As he 
comes in front of her, she goes to him 
with her arms outstretched,) 

Anemone 
Peter, I've looked 



WIND FLOWER 39 

Too far for love! Come close to me, Peter, my 

love, 
Forgive me ! I am lonely and afraid ! 
{He lays his violin down and, kneeling at her feet, 

presses her hand to his lips.) 

Peter 

Anemone ! 
A thousand times is not enough to give myself 

to you; 
Dearest ! I long to let you rest within my heart 
As some sweet child that longs for tenderness and 

knows 
Not where to turn for its caress ! 

Anemone 

Peter, IVe lived 

my wild 
Dreams through unto the end and found just 

emptiness, Peter, 
Incessant spirit voices know no answer save 
The calling, save the whisper in my soul, Peter, 
I love you! 
(She takes his face in her hands and touches his 

forehead with her lips.) 

CURTAIN 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Sept. 2009 

PreservationTechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 

111 Thomson Park Dnve 
Cranberry Township. PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



